A significant challenge faced by developers of grammar and style checking systems lies in providing an ability to generate well-formed replacements or replacement candidates that will not irritate a user by being invalid or unmotivated. Developers of other forms of automated editorial assistance and proofing tools are confronted with similar issues.
The challenge is further compounded when there is a desire to extend a system's support capability to effectively account for input by users that write in a language other than their native language. Such users often present error types that differ significantly from both native speakers writing in their own language and native speakers of other languages. It is generally difficult to provide editorial assistance or proofing functionality for both native and non-native speakers within the framework of a single application.
To the extent that current systems are configured to provide substitutions for text that is somehow deficient, most replacements are limited to simple, easy-to-predict circumstances. Many substitutions relate to a simple re-ordering of clauses. Other replacements involve a replacement of one or two words, and this usually in the context of spelling errors or a proposed substitution for an easily confused term. For many types of stylistic infelicity or errors of coherence, most systems are incapable of providing guidance beyond suggesting that a problematic section of prose be rewritten.
Further, it is common for known systems to be relatively expensive to develop and maintain. Many systems require significant language-specific manual intervention (i.e., rule writing) on the part of a developer. Also, many systems are relatively inflexible in terms of their ability to change or alter editing support.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Further, it should also be emphasized that the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages of any currently known systems noted in this section.